Cannondale F4 head shock
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: NW Minnesota
Posts: 209
Bikes: Lemond Poprad, Cervelo Soloist, Cannondale F4, RANS Velocity Squared
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times
in
45 Posts
Cannondale F4 head shock
I was wondering if anyone has converted from a headshock to a non- suspension regular fork.
I have looked online and it looks like the headshock on my F4 needs new seals at best. Don't know if the bladder is toast as well. it doesn't hold air for more than a ride.
I've been riding it as is, locked out with no suspension. What I was thinking was to swap out forks for a regular fork. Seems to me that the headshock is heavy if not used as intended. Also lowers the handlebars by 2-3 inches. I use this bike mainly on roads/paths anyway, and as a spring/fall ride. I have city tires/slicks on it.
Thanks
I have looked online and it looks like the headshock on my F4 needs new seals at best. Don't know if the bladder is toast as well. it doesn't hold air for more than a ride.
I've been riding it as is, locked out with no suspension. What I was thinking was to swap out forks for a regular fork. Seems to me that the headshock is heavy if not used as intended. Also lowers the handlebars by 2-3 inches. I use this bike mainly on roads/paths anyway, and as a spring/fall ride. I have city tires/slicks on it.
Thanks
#2
Duke Ulysses
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Southern California
Posts: 800
Bikes: An old orange one for dirt, and for the other stuff: a white one, a kinda mint green one, and a black one.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 165 Post(s)
Liked 175 Times
in
86 Posts
Try asking in the Mechanics subforum if you don;t get a response here.
#4
Drip, Drip.
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 1,575
Bikes: Trek Verve E bike, Felt Doctrine 4 XC, Opus Horizon Apex 1
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1034 Post(s)
Liked 192 Times
in
162 Posts
Measure the ATC (axle to crown) on your current fork. Your replacement fork will need to be roughly the same length. You can go just a bit shorter if youre limited on options. Make sure your new fork has a similar rake figure.
#5
Senior member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Oakville Ontario
Posts: 8,102
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 935 Post(s)
Liked 641 Times
in
363 Posts
I was wondering if anyone has converted from a headshock to a non- suspension regular fork.
I have looked online and it looks like the headshock on my F4 needs new seals at best. Don't know if the bladder is toast as well. it doesn't hold air for more than a ride.
I've been riding it as is, locked out with no suspension. What I was thinking was to swap out forks for a regular fork. Seems to me that the headshock is heavy if not used as intended. Also lowers the handlebars by 2-3 inches. I use this bike mainly on roads/paths anyway, and as a spring/fall ride. I have city tires/slicks on it.
Thanks
I have looked online and it looks like the headshock on my F4 needs new seals at best. Don't know if the bladder is toast as well. it doesn't hold air for more than a ride.
I've been riding it as is, locked out with no suspension. What I was thinking was to swap out forks for a regular fork. Seems to me that the headshock is heavy if not used as intended. Also lowers the handlebars by 2-3 inches. I use this bike mainly on roads/paths anyway, and as a spring/fall ride. I have city tires/slicks on it.
Thanks
Now you can buy a headset to fit directly, but I couldn't find one at the time. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07GK8S4LY/...v_ov_lig_dp_it
#6
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: NW Minnesota
Posts: 209
Bikes: Lemond Poprad, Cervelo Soloist, Cannondale F4, RANS Velocity Squared
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 42 Post(s)
Liked 64 Times
in
45 Posts
Thanks for the replies here as well. I posted this in the Bicycle Mechanics forum:
Thanks for the reply.
I stopped in to my LBS and got some good info as well. first, I guess they will send it to Mendoncycle to get it repaired. The shop owner just did that last year on a headshock.
I still like the idea of going rigid. We looked up some forks that would work (29ers I guess, because of the head shock), and they actually can't get any right now.
So, I either I take a gamble on servicing the headshock, or play the waiting game.
Thanks again for the information.
Thanks for the reply.
I stopped in to my LBS and got some good info as well. first, I guess they will send it to Mendoncycle to get it repaired. The shop owner just did that last year on a headshock.
I still like the idea of going rigid. We looked up some forks that would work (29ers I guess, because of the head shock), and they actually can't get any right now.
So, I either I take a gamble on servicing the headshock, or play the waiting game.
Thanks again for the information.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 1,886
Bikes: Lemond '01 Maillot Jaune, Lemond '02 Victoire, Lemond '03 Poprad, Lemond '03 Wayzata DB conv(Poprad), '79 AcerMex Windsor Carrera Professional(pur new), '88 GT Tequesta(pur new), '01 Bianchi Grizzly, 1993 Trek 970 DB conv, Trek 8900 DB conv
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 748 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 799 Times
in
467 Posts
Thanks for the replies here as well. I posted this in the Bicycle Mechanics forum:
Thanks for the reply.
I stopped in to my LBS and got some good info as well. first, I guess they will send it to Mendoncycle to get it repaired. The shop owner just did that last year on a headshock.
I still like the idea of going rigid. We looked up some forks that would work (29ers I guess, because of the head shock), and they actually can't get any right now.
So, I either I take a gamble on servicing the headshock, or play the waiting game.
Thanks again for the information.
Thanks for the reply.
I stopped in to my LBS and got some good info as well. first, I guess they will send it to Mendoncycle to get it repaired. The shop owner just did that last year on a headshock.
I still like the idea of going rigid. We looked up some forks that would work (29ers I guess, because of the head shock), and they actually can't get any right now.
So, I either I take a gamble on servicing the headshock, or play the waiting game.
Thanks again for the information.
Please do post back if you go the rigid route. I see a fair number of nice Cannondales available and many look like nice bikes, but the headshok is the thing that says.."not going there" as it'll undoubtedly need to be rebuilt. A blown headshok is a great issue to depress the price of the bike. I've thought a number of times.."..so many nice bikes that may become useless due to the non-std headset/shok...there should be a popular/well-used pathway to getting these bikes back on the road, much like the many conversions of old mountain bikes into drop bar gravel bikes, hybrids, touring bikes....."
Last edited by fishboat; 04-20-21 at 08:46 PM. Reason: typo
#8
Airplanes, bikes, beer.
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Off the front
Posts: 763
Bikes: Road bikes, mountain bikes, a cx bike, a gravel bike…
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 398 Post(s)
Liked 788 Times
in
339 Posts
Just remove it and ship it to Mendon CycleSmith. $75 plus parts (cheap, generally) and you’ll have a fully functional HeadShok again, no silly adapters or gangly compromises needed. Do it. Less than a week turn around time.
Likes For BobsPoprad:
#11
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3124 Post(s)
Liked 2,101 Times
in
1,366 Posts
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17